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lingering behind with Mr。 Beebe； she turned the conversation to a
less disturbing topic； and asked him how he liked his new house。
〃Very much；〃 he replied； but there was a note of offence in his
voice； she had never known him offended before。 He added： 〃We
find； though； that the Miss Alans were coming； and that we have
turned them out。 Women mind such a thing。 I am very much upset
about it。〃
〃I believe that there was some misunderstanding；〃 said Mrs。
Honeychurch uneasily。
〃Our landlord was told that we should be a different type of
person；〃 said George； who seemed disposed to carry the matter
further。 〃He thought we should be artistic。 He is disappointed。〃
〃And I wonder whether we ought to write to the Miss Alans and
offer to give it up。 What do you think？〃 He appealed to Lucy。
〃Oh； stop now you have come；〃 said Lucy lightly。 She must avoid
censuring Cecil。 For it was on Cecil that the little episode
turned； though his name was never mentioned。
〃So George says。 He says that the Miss Alans must go to the wall。
Yet it does seem so unkind。〃
〃There is only a certain amount of kindness in the world；〃 said
George； watching the sunlight flash on the panels of the passing
carriages。
〃Yes！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Honeychurch。 〃That's exactly what I say。
Why all this twiddling and twaddling over two Miss Alans？〃
〃There is a certain amount of kindness； just as there is a
certain amount of light；〃 he continued in measured tones。 〃We
cast a shadow on something wherever we stand； and it is no good
moving from place to place to save things； because the shadow
always follows。 Choose a place where you won't do harmyes；
choose a place where you won't do very much harm； and stand in it
for all you are worth； facing the sunshine。〃
〃Oh； Mr。 Emerson； I see you're clever！〃
〃Eh？〃
〃I see you're going to be clever。 I hope you didn't go behaving
like that to poor Freddy。〃
George's eyes laughed； and Lucy suspected that he and her mother
would get on rather well。
〃No； I didn't；〃 he said。 〃He behaved that way to me。 It is his
philosophy。 Only he starts life with it； and I have tried the
Note of Interrogation first。〃
〃What DO you mean？ No； never mind what you mean。 Don't explain。
He looks forward to seeing you this afternoon。 Do you play
tennis？ Do you mind tennis on Sunday？〃
〃George mind tennis on Sunday！ George； after his education；
distinguish between Sunday〃
〃Very well； George doesn't mind tennis on Sunday。 No more do I。
That's settled。 Mr。 Emerson； if you could come with your son we
should be so pleased。〃
He thanked her； but the walk sounded rather far； he could only
potter about in these days。
She turned to George： 〃And then he wants to give up his house to
the Miss Alans。〃
〃I know；〃 said George； and put his arm round his father's neck。
The kindness that Mr。 Beebe and Lucy had always known to exist in
him came out suddenly； like sunlight touching a vast landscapea
touch of the morning sun？ She remembered that in all his
perversities he had never spoken against affection。
Miss Bartlett approached。
〃You know our cousin； Miss Bartlett；〃 said Mrs。 Honeychurch
pleasantly。 〃You met her with my daughter in Florence。〃
〃Yes； indeed！〃 said the old man； and made as if he would come out
of the garden to meet the lady。 Miss Bartlett promptly got into
the victoria。 Thus entrenched； she emitted a formal bow。 It was
the pension Bertolini again； the dining…table with the decanters
of water and wine。 It was the old； old battle of the room with
the view。
George did not respond to the bow。 Like any boy； he blushed and
was ashamed； he knew that the chaperon remembered。 He said： 〃I
I'll come up to tennis if I can manage it；〃 and went into the
house。 Perhaps anything that he did would have pleased Lucy； but
his awkwardness went straight to her heart； men were not gods
after all； but as human and as clumsy as girls； even men might
suffer from unexplained desires； and need help。 To one of her
upbringing； and of her destination； the weakness of men was a
truth unfamiliar； but she had surmised it at Florence； when
George threw her photographs into the River Arno。
〃George； don't go；〃 cried his father； who thought it a great
treat for people if his son would talk to them。 〃George has been
in such good spirits today； and I am sure he will end by coming
up this afternoon。〃
Lucy caught her cousin's eye。 Something in its mute appeal made
her reckless。 〃Yes；〃 she said； raising her voice； 〃I do hope he
will。〃 Then she went to the carriage and murmured； 〃The old man
hasn't been told； I knew it was all right。〃 Mrs。 Honeychurch
followed her； and they drove away。
Satisfactory that Mr。 Emerson had not been told of the Florence
escapade； yet Lucy's spirits should not have leapt up as if she
had sighted the ramparts of heaven。 Satisfactory； yet surely she
greeted it with disproportionate joy。 All the way home the
horses' hoofs sang a tune to her： 〃He has not told； he has not
told。〃 Her brain expanded the melody： 〃He has not told his
fatherto whom he tells all things。 It was not an exploit。 He
did not laugh at me when I had gone。〃 She raised her hand to her
cheek。 〃He does not love me。 No。 How terrible if he did！ But he
has not told。 He will not tell。〃
She longed to shout the words： 〃It is all right。 It's a secret
between us two for ever。 Cecil will never hear。〃 She was even
glad that Miss Bartlett had made her promise secrecy； that last
dark evening at Florence； when they had knelt packing in his
room。 The secret； big or little； was guarded。
Only three English people knew of it in the world。 Thus she
interpreted her joy。 She greeted Cecil with unusual radiance；
because she felt so safe。 As he helped her out of the carriage；
she said：
〃The Emersons have been so nice。 George Emerson has improved
enormously。〃
〃How are my proteges？〃 asked Cecil； who took no real interest in
them； and had long since forgotten his resolution to bring them
to Windy Corner for educational purposes。
〃Proteges！〃 she exclaimed with some warmth。 For the only
relationship which Cecil conceived was feudal： that of protector
and protected。 He had no glimpse of the comradeship after which
the girl's soul yearned。
〃You shall see for yourself how your proteges are。 George Emerson
is coming up this afternoon。 He is a most interesting man to talk
to。 Only don't〃 She nearly said； 〃Don't protect him。〃 But the
bell was ringing for lunch； and； as often happened； Cecil had
paid no great attention to her remarks。 Charm； not argument； was
to be her forte。
Lunch was a cheerful meal。 Generally Lucy was depressed at meals。
Some one had to be soothedeither Cecil or Miss Bartlett or a
Being not visible to the mortal eyea Being who whispered to her
soul： 〃It will not last； this cheerfulness。 In January you must
go to London to entertain the grandchildren of celebrated men。〃
But to…day she felt she had received a guarantee。 Her mother
would always sit there； her brother here。 The sun； though it had
moved a little since the morning； would never be hidden behind
the western hills。 After luncheon they asked her to play。 She had
seen Gluck's Armide that year； and played from memory the music
of the enchanted gardenthe music to which Renaud approaches；
beneath the light of an eternal dawn； the music that never gains；
never wanes； but ripples for ever like the tideless seas of
fairyland。 Such music is not for the piano； and her audience
began to get restive； and Cecil； sharing the discontent； called
out： 〃Now play us the other gardenthe one in Parsifal。〃
She closed the instrument。
〃Not very dutiful；〃 said her mother's voice。
Fearing that she had offended Cecil； she turned quickly round。
There George was。 He had crept in without interrupting her。
〃Oh； I had no idea！〃 she exclaimed； getting very red； and then；
without a word of greeting； she reopened the piano。 Cecil should
have the Parsifal； and anything else that he liked。
〃Our performer has changed her mind；〃 said Miss Bartlett； perhaps
implying； she will play the music to Mr。 Emerson。 Lucy did not
know what to do nor even what she wanted to do。 She played a few
bars of the Flower Maidens' song very badly and then she stopped。
〃I vote tennis；〃 said Freddy； disgusted at the scrappy
entertainment。
〃Yes； so do I。〃 Once more she closed the unfortunate piano。 〃I
vote you have a men's four。〃
〃All right。〃
〃Not for me； thank you；〃 said Cecil。 〃I will not spoil the set。〃
He never realized that it may be an act of kindness in a bad
player to make up a fourth。
〃Oh； come along Cecil。 I'm bad； Floyd's rotten； and so I dare
say's Emerson。〃
George corrected him： 〃I am not bad。〃
One looked down one's nose at this。 〃Then certainly I won't
play；〃 said Cecil； while Miss Bartlett； under th